If $\|\mathbf{a}\| = 3$ and $\|\mathbf{b}\| = 6,$ then find $(\mathbf{a} + \mathbf{b}) \cdot (\mathbf{a} - \mathbf{b}).$
Solution: Expanding the dot product, we get
\begin{align*}
(\mathbf{a} + \mathbf{b}) \cdot (\mathbf{a} - \mathbf{b}) &= (\mathbf{a} + \mathbf{b}) \cdot \mathbf{a} - (\mathbf{a} + \mathbf{b}) \cdot \mathbf{b} \\
&= \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{a} + \mathbf{b} \cdot \mathbf{a} - \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} - \mathbf{b} \cdot \mathbf{b} \\
&= \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{a} - \mathbf{b} \cdot \mathbf{b} \\
&= \|\mathbf{a}\|^2 - \|\mathbf{b}\|^2 \\
&= 3^2 - 6^2 = \boxed{-27}.
\end{align*}